English Place-name Society

Survey of English Place-Names

A county-by-county guide to the linguistic origins of England’s place-names – a project of the English Place-Name Society, founded 1923.

Denchworth

Major Settlement in the Parish of Denchworth

Historical Forms

  • Denichesuurde 821 BCS366 c.1200
  • (æt) deniceswurþe, (to þam) norðran Deneceswyrðe 947 c.1200 ib
  • (æt) Deneceswurþe ib (c. 1240)
  • Deniceswyrð 960 contemporary ib
  • (ad) Denceswyrðe 811 BCS352 c.1200
  • (to þan) norðran denceswurþe 947 c.1240 ib
  • (æt) Dencesuurþe 958 c.1240 ib
  • Denceswurthe 965 c.1200 ib
  • Denchesworde 1086 DB
  • Dencheswurth' 1200 Cur
  • Northdencheswrth' 1220 Fees
  • Parva Denchesw'rthe 1225–6 FF
  • de Encheswurth' 1241 Ass
  • Suthdencheswurth', Northdencheswurth' 1242–3 Fees
  • Suht Dencheswrth' 1247–8 Ass
  • Parua Dencheswrth', Suthdencheswrth' 1284 ib
  • Sutdencheswrthe 1301 BM
  • Dengesteworth c.1180 Oxoniensia
  • Nordengesworth' 1242–3 Fees
  • South Dengesworth 1427 BM
  • Dunchewrth' 1202 Cur
  • Deinchesworth' 1206 Cur
  • Deynchesworth 1315 Ipm 1324 BM
  • Denchewurth' 1221 Cur
  • Denchewrthe 1221 Bract c.1250
  • Southdenechesworth, Northdenchworth 1316 FA
  • Tencheswrth 1235–6 Fees

Etymology

'Denic's worð'; the pers.n. is a derivative of Dene . North Denchworth, the norðran denceswurþe of the OE forms, is now in West Hanney parish. South Denchworth Fm, at the northern end of the present Denchworth village, preserves the full name of the other settlement. BCS 352 and 366 are spurious charters.